The "Innovation" category focuses on creativity in journalism, which may be expressed in print, online or a combination. The City Pages Rock Atlas, both in print (12.3 megabyte PDF) and online, took first place in that category. Artist Kevin Cannon, author Peter Scholtes and Web editor Jeff Shaw received the award.

AAN awards are selected by the academy from all the work done in 2007 by the organization's member papers. Taking two first-place awards slots City Pages just behind L.A. Weekly and The Texas Observer in the large-circulation division. Each of those papers took home three first-place awards. The awards were announced at the 13th annual AltWeekly Awards luncheon in Philadelphia on June 7.